nikki-k
Member
Hi!
I have had my Rebel for a couple days, and spent time chatting with John Ewing (thank you again for your time!) and Corey (Mr EggStacks
thank you again as well!).
When I got it, I hooked it up to EVM-12L loaded cabs (2x12 and 4x12) and it was a bit.. well, the gain was brittle and thin (for me). I know the EV's need to be pushed to shine, but it was still not my thing. I am planning on trying out some different Greenback types in the 2x12. I was ready to pack it up and call it a day, but John said to call when I got it. John Ewing took the time to speak with me (again!), and when I got off the phone, I pulled the chassis, and pulled the stock 12AX7 tubes. I flipped the unit, and did a quick follow of the boards, and it appears that V1 is not closest to the input, and is in fact properly labeled. V2 is closest, and then V3 sits almost mid chassis, which appears to be the PI. Also, I guessed it was a pre PI MV type circuit, and John said today (yet ANOTHER conversation where I prattled on and on ) that he believes that yes, it is Pre PI MV. As such, I am treating the PI as being post MV.
I would LOVE to see a schematic, but shy of that.. a block diagram would be so very, very AWESOME to see. Please? Pretty please?
I have played with some tube combos, and have decided that for me, to my ear, the stock tubes are a bit too "modern." In fact, I would describe the Rebel as "a modern voiced amp." I would love to have a schematic, but shy of that, I will still eventually do some light mod'ing I think. Tonestack and other "points of color" would be fun to play with a bit. It is simply a bit.. hmm.. even if I said "1.5k->3k over zealous at points" (2k with a moderate Q pulldown helps slightly), but it is in fact a certain.. graininess that gets me I think. Not sure yet. Perhaps a warmer speaker with slightly hyped low mids and rolled upper mids and soft top end would make a big difference.. Even so, I am using some 70's "Made in England" grey plate Brimar ECC83's in V1, V2 and V3, and the change is DRASTIC. (15mm plate tube, very warm.. could use some kick though). Placing an MXR 10-band up front and "frown face" on it with a slight output boost really allows it to shine with the Brimar tubes. The Brimars round and fill, but the low end gets hyped a bit, and as some rock guitarists will do, that frown EQ allows the gain stage(s) to work without flubbing up the lows, and "brittle/shriek'ing" the highs. I can get very close to an early AC/DC live sound with it liek this!
So, block diagram would be great so I can figure what is where in the chain.
The heat sink.. is it for the power scaling? I guessed it was not a London Power Scaling licensed bit, and John confirmed this.. true? Even sso, I am guessing the heat sink is for the power scaling feature? Regardless, there is a bundle of wires that cross over the one end of the heatsink! I do not care for this, and will likely rewire it once the warranty is gone, but I am curious to know if I am correct, and how hot the sink is expected to get.
The power section...
If one tube dies (say, an EL84), will it still operate on the other set of tubes if the front dial is set full to the others?
I think that is about it for now. Answers breed more questions!
Really diggin the amp, and I am almost tempted to wait for someone to tire of theirs in several months, buy it cheap, and then frankenstein the pee-pee out of it!!!
I think I would...
Pull the power scaling and add a PostPIMV; mount the preamp sockets to the chassis, and maybe do a custom breadboard of the main component board, re-value the tonestack a little, use the bright n tight switches for something fun... who knows? Cool amp out of the box, but it is simply far to alluring to not play with the guts! Sorry Bruce.. you have created an amp that is too much fun!!!
nikki
I have had my Rebel for a couple days, and spent time chatting with John Ewing (thank you again for your time!) and Corey (Mr EggStacks
thank you again as well!).When I got it, I hooked it up to EVM-12L loaded cabs (2x12 and 4x12) and it was a bit.. well, the gain was brittle and thin (for me). I know the EV's need to be pushed to shine, but it was still not my thing. I am planning on trying out some different Greenback types in the 2x12. I was ready to pack it up and call it a day, but John said to call when I got it. John Ewing took the time to speak with me (again!), and when I got off the phone, I pulled the chassis, and pulled the stock 12AX7 tubes. I flipped the unit, and did a quick follow of the boards, and it appears that V1 is not closest to the input, and is in fact properly labeled. V2 is closest, and then V3 sits almost mid chassis, which appears to be the PI. Also, I guessed it was a pre PI MV type circuit, and John said today (yet ANOTHER conversation where I prattled on and on
) that he believes that yes, it is Pre PI MV. As such, I am treating the PI as being post MV.I would LOVE to see a schematic, but shy of that.. a block diagram would be so very, very AWESOME to see. Please? Pretty please?
I have played with some tube combos, and have decided that for me, to my ear, the stock tubes are a bit too "modern." In fact, I would describe the Rebel as "a modern voiced amp." I would love to have a schematic, but shy of that, I will still eventually do some light mod'ing I think. Tonestack and other "points of color" would be fun to play with a bit. It is simply a bit.. hmm.. even if I said "1.5k->3k over zealous at points" (2k with a moderate Q pulldown helps slightly), but it is in fact a certain.. graininess that gets me I think. Not sure yet. Perhaps a warmer speaker with slightly hyped low mids and rolled upper mids and soft top end would make a big difference.. Even so, I am using some 70's "Made in England" grey plate Brimar ECC83's in V1, V2 and V3, and the change is DRASTIC. (15mm plate tube, very warm.. could use some kick though). Placing an MXR 10-band up front and "frown face" on it with a slight output boost really allows it to shine with the Brimar tubes. The Brimars round and fill, but the low end gets hyped a bit, and as some rock guitarists will do, that frown EQ allows the gain stage(s) to work without flubbing up the lows, and "brittle/shriek'ing" the highs. I can get very close to an early AC/DC live sound with it liek this!
So, block diagram would be great so I can figure what is where in the chain.
The heat sink.. is it for the power scaling? I guessed it was not a London Power Scaling licensed bit, and John confirmed this.. true? Even sso, I am guessing the heat sink is for the power scaling feature? Regardless, there is a bundle of wires that cross over the one end of the heatsink! I do not care for this, and will likely rewire it once the warranty is gone, but I am curious to know if I am correct, and how hot the sink is expected to get.
The power section...
If one tube dies (say, an EL84), will it still operate on the other set of tubes if the front dial is set full to the others?
I think that is about it for now. Answers breed more questions!
Really diggin the amp, and I am almost tempted to wait for someone to tire of theirs in several months, buy it cheap, and then frankenstein the pee-pee out of it!!!
I think I would...
Pull the power scaling and add a PostPIMV; mount the preamp sockets to the chassis, and maybe do a custom breadboard of the main component board, re-value the tonestack a little, use the bright n tight switches for something fun... who knows? Cool amp out of the box, but it is simply far to alluring to not play with the guts! Sorry Bruce.. you have created an amp that is too much fun!!!
nikki
